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settle, remaining in a skull-cap and shirt of fine silk, laced with gold. With this arose the Lady of Beauty and drew him to her, and he did the like with her. Then he took her to his embrace and pointing the engine that batters down the fortalice of virginity, stormed the citadel and found her an unpierced pearl and a filly that none but he had ridden. So he took her maidenhead and enjoyed her dower of youth; nor did he stint to return to the assault till he had furnished fifteen courses, and she conceived by him. Then he laid his hand under her head and she did the like, and they embraced and fell asleep in each other’s arms, whilst the tongue of the case spoke the words of the poet:
Cleave fast to her thou lov’st and let the envious rail amain, For calumny and envy ne’er to favour love were fain.
Lo! the Compassionate hath made no fairer thing to see Than when one couch in its embrace enfoldeth lovers twain,
Each to the other’s bosom clasped, clad in their own delight, Whilst hand with hand and arm with arm about their necks enchain.
Lo! when two hearts are straitly knit in passion and desire, But on cold iron smite the folk that chide at them in vain.
If in thy time thou find but one to love thee and be true, I rede thee cast the world away and with that one remain.
As soon as Bedreddin was asleep, the Afrit said to the Afriteh, “Come, let us take up the young man and carry him back to his place, ere the dawn overtake us, for the day is near.” So she took up Bedreddin, as he lay asleep, clad only in his shirt and skull-cap, and flew away with him, accompanied by the Afrit. But the dawn overtook them midway and the muezzins began to chant the call to morning-prayer. Then God let His angels cast at the Afrit with shooting-stars, and he was consumed; but the Afriteh escaped and lighted down with Bedreddin, fearing to carry him further, lest he should come to harm. Now as fate would have it, she had reached the city of Damascus, so she laid Bedreddin down before one of its
